Holiday burn out is REAL and I’m having to be extra careful not to over-work myself this year.
All my hyper-fixation girlies – where you at!? And how stunning does your tree look this year?
As a wreath maker and holiday home decorator, November is – without a doubt – the most stressful month of the year, with December coming in close 2nd. Add in my responsibilities as a mom, house wife, and business owner and my work days in November stretch about 15 hours on average.
For example, I got up at 5:30AM this morning and it is now 10:45PM and I’m just winding down with my chamomile and popping on to let you all know I’m still alive! (17 hours I am POOPED!)
Yesterday and today were two grueling days for me and that’s because I put in an insane amount of work for absolutely free, and that’s because I spent the days decorating my own house for Christmas. As a holiday decorator, it’s important to ensure my halls are DECKED for the holidays with the latest trends so I can have photographers come and snap photos for content and to publish on my website.
Yesterday, I spent my entire day building my 2024 Pastel GLAM Garland which will be making its debut as soon as I get the pictures back from my photographer and girl boss friend, Sarah Cress. From the time I woke up to the time I went to sleep yesterday, I was working on that garland non-stop and BOY is it stunning! Totally worth it. Then last night, I met with the girls from the St. Pete Girl Boss for a friendsgiving dinner. In addition to building my garland, I also stopped to make/go shopping for FIVE dishes for the potluck!
Likewise, today I had to set up my Christmas tree alongside all my interior December Diamonds pieces which go in front of the fireplace and my traditional red-and-green pieces which are displayed along the countertops. I got up at 5:30 and worked on my novel until my son went to school at 8:30AM, then I spent literally every second of my day running to storage, unboxing, prepping, decorating, and cleaning… cleaning… and cleaning some more. Who knew glitter and those stupid flurries from styrofoam would make cleaning so IMPOSSIBLE?!
But I did it. I may have overdid it – but I did it.
Hyperfixation for me is both a blessing and a curse. It allows me to make some of the most beautiful creations you’ve ever seen whether they be novels, or wreaths, or Christmas trees, or a clean home, and pretty much anything else in between. Hyperfixation is also a curse because I will spend ENTIRE days perfecting a project beyond what is even conceivable. That’s why I spent nearly two hours just fluffing branches… lol.
Understanding this about myself helps me to set healthy parameters to improve my time management as a coping mechanism. It also improves my efficiency because when I sit down and say to myself “You only have 2 hours to complete this project”, I make sure it is finished to the best of my ability within that time constraint.
Make sure you’re taking care of YOU this holiday season. We do a lot for others, and often put our own needs on the back burner. Don’t. Prioritize you and then your cup will be overflowing to pour into others.
Pictures and videos of my 2024 Christmas decor coming soon. Stay tuned!